Dumping-wagon



(No Model.)

G. WORTHINGTON.

DUMPING WAGON.

No. 405,974. Patented June-Z5, 1889.

E9 AL 152 Van to 2';

' N. PETERS. Pbclo-Llthugraphnr. Wash'mgmm n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IVORTHINGTON, OF PITTSFIELD, ILLINOIS.

DUMPlNG-WAGON.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 405,974, dated June 25, 1889.

Application filed January 4, 1889. Serial No, 295,390. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE \VORTHINGTON, of Pittsfield, Illinois, have made a new and useful Improvement in Dumping-\Vagons, of which the following is a full,clear, and exactdescription.

The improvement relates to that type of dumping-wagon the bottom of whose bed is made to close and open to enable the contents of the bed to be discharged downward through the bottom, all substantially as is hereinafter set forth and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improved wagon-bed; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3,11. front end elevation; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section on the line at l of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 a view in perspective of one of the bottom-section sockets.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The wagon-bed A is of any of the custom ary forms, saving as it may be modified or supplemented by the improvement under consideration. Its sides are shown at a a, respectively, and a a respectively, represent the front and the rear ends of the bed.

' B B represent the sections which constitute the bottom of the bed. So far some of the features of the improved bed are concerned, the bottom may consist of one, two, or more sections; but for general use I prefer making the bottom in two sections, as shown. They are arranged longitudinally in the bed, and they are hinged independently of each other at or toward the center of the bed-b0ttom, to enable them tobe turned upward into a horizontal position to close the bed, as shown in the full lines in Fig. l, or to be turned down to open the bed, as indicated in the broken lines, same figure. The most desirable mode of hinging the sections so that they can be thus operated is to provide each section at each of its ends with asocket C, Fig. 5, having a journal c-that is,the section end is inserted in a recess 0 in the socket, so as to be firmly secured therein, and the socket in turn and by means of its journal 1: is held. and. adapted to be rotated in a bearing 0 in the end of the wagon-bed. The sections are thus supported at each end of the wagon-bed, and, in addition thereto, they are preferably supported at one or more intermediate points, as will be presently described.

Various means may be adopted for upturning the sections and upholding them in a closed position. I consider a cross-bar the most desirable, and the imprm ement may, in a measure, be carried out by employing a cross-bar which extends entirely across beneath the bed-bottom, and by raising and lowering which both of the bottom sections can be raised and lowered. I prefer to use two crossbars D I), one of which I) is used in operating the section]; and the other I) the section B. To this end the bars I) D are hinged or pivoted on a bearing or bearings in the vicinity of the joint between the bottom sec tions and so that the sections rest, respectively, upon the cross-bars, and when a crossbar is lowered the section resting upon that crossbar drops with it, and when the cross bar is raised the section is lifted upon and upheld by it. In practice a cross-bar is somewhat longer than the width of the section, to enable its outer end (1 to be connected with the means in operating the cross-bar, which will be presently described. The bearing or bearings for the cross-bars are shown at E, Fig. 4. They can be sustained at the point in question in any suitable manner; but to provide a convenient support as well as to carry out the improvement in other respects more advantageously a truss F is introduced into the wagon-bed. The truss may be variously shaped. A desirable form is shown. It is composed substantially of braces f j, which the sections B B rest upon the cross-bars they are in effect sustained in part by the rod f but, if desired, the sections may be sustained is opened is liable, by reason of the weight upon it, to be sprung downward and occasion trouble; but by means of the truss described the bottom sections are upheld evenly under all conditions.

The most desirable mode of operating the cross-bars is as follows:

G represents a cord or chain leading from the outer end of the cross-bar over a pulley or sheave or other bearing H upon the outer face of the bed side a, and thence to a lever I, which is pivoted at t' to the side of the bed. To raise the section B the lever is turned from an upright position downward into a horizontal position, Fig. 1, and by so doing the section is upturned and closed. I11 its horizontal position the lever I may be said to be on its dead-center, and thus best fitted for resisting any pull exerted upon it by reason of the weight of the contents of the wagon-bed. To look the lever in its horizontal position I preferably make use of a spring-catch J, Fig. 1 which is attached to the bed side and tends to spring outward and confine the lever, as shown.

A feature of the improvement is the device by which the driver of the wagon can readily say with his foot withdraw the catch J and release the lever I, and thereby permit the contents of the bed to be dumped.

K represents a flexible part-such as a chain or ropewhich is arranged at the front end of the wagon bed and at one end attached thereto, and at the other end 76, and by means of the bolt lc is connected with the catch J. By bearing upon the chain K the catch is disengaged from the lever and the bottom section belonging to that chain and lever is free to drop. There is a separate chain and lever for each bottom section, so that either section may be dropped independently of the other section. As soon as the pressure upon the chain K is withdrawn the catch J springs outward into the plane of the lever I to arrest the same when again turned down.

So far as the action of the lever-releasing device is concerned it is immaterial how the bottom sections are constructed, whether one, two, or more are used, or whether one or two cross-bars are used to raise or lower them, or

what particular means is employed to connect the cross bar or bars with the releasing device.

As the sections B B open apart'the contents of the bed are liable to enter the joint between the sections and interfere with the closing of the sections. To obviate this difiiculty I employ a guard L, in the form, say, of a fiat bar, which extendslongitudinally in the bed just over the joint in question. The bar is held in the ends of the bed. Additional chains G and pulleys H, as indicated by the broken lines, Fig. 1, and cross-bars may be used.

By means of the present improvement a light, staunch, durable dumping-wagon bed is obtained. A special advantage, however, derived from it is being able to dump the entire load at one spot or to dump a portion of the load at one place and another portion at another place. The driver without releasing his team can eflfect the discharge of the load, and by making the bed-bottom in the special form shown the load can, by partially lowering one section forming a chute through which the load may pass, be dumped more or less to the side of the wagon,-and by making the bottom in two sections, as shown, the load can be dumped without dropping it upon the wagon-gear. The truss F mayhave a top tierod f as shown.

I claim-- 1. A dumping-wagon whose bottom is made in two sections arranged longitudinally in the bed and hinged centrally therein to enable the sections to drop away from the sides, respectively, of the bed, said bottom sections at the line of their hinges being supported from a crosstruss, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a wagon bed, of a dumping-bottom and a truss, said truss arranged crosswise in said wagon-bed between the ends thereof, and having a connection leading downward to said bottom, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a wagon-bed, of the hinged sections B B, the cross-bars and the cross-truss, said bottom sections at the line of their hinges being supported from a crosstruss, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a wagon-bed, of the dumping-sections B B, the cross-bars D D, the cross=truss, and means for raising and lowering the cross-bars and sections, and a connection leading from said cross-truss to said dumping-sections, substantially as described.

5. A dumping-wagon bed whose bottom is in sections working independently of each other and each section having its own crossbar for raising and lowering it and said sections being upheld along the central line of the bed-bottom by means of a connection IIO leading to a cross-truss overhead, substanto a cross-truss overhead, substantially as detially as described. scribed. 10

6. A dumping-Wagon bed Whose bottom is Vitness my hand this 28th day of Decemin sections Working independently of each ber, 1888.

5 other and each section having its own means GEORGE \VORTHINGTON. for raising and lowering it and said sections Vitnesses:

being upheld along the central line of the C. D. 1VIOODY,

bed-bottom by means of a connection leading EDWARD V. BINGO. 

